Shoeless in Albuquerque

The airport's new security regulations have become impossible. Especially if you're Jewish.

We are standing shoeless in the airport in Albuquerque, New Mexico, as our personal belongings await judgment from the white-shirted guys and gals working for the Transportation Security Agency. They are peering into our private possessions via their X-ray machine, and I just bet they are laughing inwardly at my paltry make-up inventory. My suspicions are confirmed when I see one of the agents steal a glance at me and then whisper something to her partner. I can almost hear her saying, "Well, that explains it." Hey, do they expect miracles with only three ounces of foundation and cucumber extract gelees allowed?

Remember when flying used to be an experience? When they served food? When they handed out pillows? When they didn't raise airfares every eight minutes? Now flying is an experience in humiliation. First, you hand over your shoes. Then your watch, your keys, your phone. You even relinquish your spare change! I half expect them to hand me an orange jumpsuit and lock me up after I pass through the metal detector. And while these TSA agents stand there in their crisp uniforms and shoes, we stand with naked feet, absorbing trillions of germs (at least) from the feet of millions of other passengers. We dare not even imagine where some of those feet have been. And what if some of these folks had athlete's foot fungus, or Foot-Ebola? These are infectious diseases just waiting to happen.

What if some of these folks had athlete's foot fungus, or Foot-Ebola? These are infectious diseases just waiting to happen!

In the last few years, we have had all kinds of innocent things spirited out of our bags at airports, including a brand-new angle-tipped tweezer that cost me nearly ten bucks. We are not the weirdos or boneheads who have brought meat cleavers and saws to the airport, things that are more suited to the sets of movies such as "Chainsaw Massacre XI" than to 747s, but believe it or not – this has happened! How do they explain themselves, I wonder? "Oh, I totally forgot I had this meat cleaver still on me! You know how hectic it is, rushing from the meat packing plant to the airport!" I read that the government has warehouses filled with swords, sabers, hacksaws, and economy-sized shampoo bottles that they have taken away from these bizarre and frightening passengers. Naturally, they sell most of it on eBay. (Maybe I ought to look there for my tweezers?)

Most often, our family gets busted for our food. As kosher travelers, we bring our nosh with us. With hearty appetites deeply etched into the family DNA, we need equally hearty biceps almost the size of Arnold Schwarzenegger's to heft our own food bags. Despite this physical challenge, we still pack even more food than we need, not just because we are Jewish and can't help ourselves, but because we are guaranteed to have some of our food rudely and unapologetically taken from us.

In London, security agents confiscated our peanut butter and our jelly. In Cincinnati my yogurt was seized, no doubt because of the "active cultures" lurking inside. In Los Angeles, an eager beagle employed by the United States Customs Service and wearing an authentic U.S. Customs uniform vest sniffed out our sandwiches with a wagging tail. The beagle's human companion unwrapped and inspected the sandwiches, arching her eyebrows in disapproval of their smashed condition. But after an 11-hour flight, we didn't look much fresher than the sandwiches, which she confiscated. How dangerous was an aging tuna sandwich? Only our U.S. Customs agent knew for sure!

On our recent jaunt to Albuquerque, we breathed a sigh of relief as the first few bags sailed through inspection. But just as we were about to reach for our shoes and reclaim some semblance of our dignity, the conveyer belt was sent in reverse. Predictably, one agent had second thoughts about our food bag. I began to wonder what it was with these TSA agents and food. They seemed obsessed with it. Didn't these people get lunch breaks? I watched as two agents stared intently into the X-ray machine screen. They furrowed their brows, pointed fingers, and shook their heads. I pleaded silently, as if to a robber, "You can have the cheese and cucumber wrap, but please leave that chocolate Danish alone!"

A major domo from the TSA poked and prodded our kosher eats, and I don't think he was looking for the kosher hechshers, either. Other than saturated fat in the Danish, I felt our foodstuffs were both patriotic and safe. After riffling through our sandwiches, a container of humus, two apples, a wilting cheese stick, and the divine chocolate Danish, he finally unearthed a large plastic frozen ice pack, inspecting it from a distance, as if he thought it might contain explosives. It's an ice pack, not an ice pick, I wanted to argue, but knowing how often they mistake short Caucasian women for Islamic terrorists, I kept my mouth shut.

After huddling in a conference with two other agents and debating the danger of our ice pack, they took it, no doubt sending it to the giant TSA warehouse, where a meat cleaver probably stabbed it to death.

For my next trip, I will try even harder not to call attention to myself and my food, though I can't really blame these wily TSA agents for hankering after my humus, longing for my lentils, and coveting my chocolate. They must have a sense that yummy kosher food is the best. Maybe if the airports opened some glatt kosher restaurants, these agents would finally leave me and innocent kosher food alone.

Visitor Comments: 36

(36)
meme,
March 19, 2014 3:47 PM

everyone has this problem-you are not unique

Whether you are a jew or not, everyone has this problem when going through TSA. I have many food allergies, and I need to travel with food. I have the same issues. There are easy ways to get around the travel restrictions, and I never have complained like I'm special

(35)
Melanie Vliet,
June 21, 2011 4:26 PM

We're Not Caucasian!

Your article was adorable, but we Jews are not Caucasian--we're Semitic. I refuse to identify myself as White in filling out the demographic sections of surveys. There's scientific proof of our being a separate race: we are subject to Tay Sachs disease, while Whites and members of other ethnic groups are not. Vive la difference!

(34)
Anonymous,
August 6, 2008 2:26 AM

In enjoyed the article about traveling written by Judy Gruen. One way to avoid losing your food (to the TSA) is to make sure the containers are less than 3 oz, the limit for liquid/viscous items. Try to bring such items as peanut butter, yogurt, puddings, apple sauce, cottage cheese and cream cheese in small containers. Even then, good luck.

(33)
Ken Salkover,
June 26, 2008 2:51 PM

Kosher at the airports

Annie is absolutely right: There should be kiosks near the gates with hot to-go kosher meals (and non-kosher for everyone else). The airlines won't feed us, and TSA even confiscates yogurt. Can we live on apples alone?

(32)
sandy,
June 22, 2008 11:49 AM

what a joke TSA is

after flying three times within the last month, i couldn"t stop laughing.i flew from europe and twice in the states with my pepper spray in my cosmetic bag...also got on a cruise ship with it...

(31)
Annie,
June 21, 2008 10:13 PM

yes, there should be kosher at the airports or else...

or they should train the airport security for this, when my 9:15am connecting flight was missed due to fog, we didn't leave the airport until 11pm and NO food, I would have paid $5 for a stick of kosher bread!

(30)
George,
June 21, 2008 6:49 PM

kosher airport food

Given the prices of non-kosher food at an airport, a kosher bread stick would cost $5!

(29)
Anonymous,
June 20, 2008 1:12 PM

A Kosher Consumer Must Always Bring Food

I'm writing in reply to the comments to leave the food at home. One never knows what will happen, where and for how long you may G-d forbid get stuck. Always bring kosher food with you! My sister had an unplanned stop-over in France. The only kosher food the hotel could find for her, her husband, and baby was a cucumber and radish. She was unfamiliar with the French kosher symbols and so could not purchase food in the airport.

(28)
Daniela,
June 19, 2008 8:01 PM

Profiling, etc, especially to Anonymous 6/17/2008 12:09:00 PM

Remember Entebee, everyone, two of the terrorists were nice looking thirty-something blonde **Germans**! Not only can Arabs dress up as any one of us, but there are plenty of sympathizers, too, or does the name Rachel Courie not mean anything to anyone here ?? As for the food issue, I bought plenty of kosher snacks at the airport before boarding, after security. Granted, I spent about $20 but it was a compromise. So, I have to say, I kind of agree with Feigie, leave the food at home and buy at the airport after security. Don't hold up the lines unnecessarily.

Oh, cute article by the way. :)

(27)
callie,
June 19, 2008 6:05 PM

not the best solution but....

most airports have plenty of food options after the security lines. and if its a short flight, just eat before you go to the airport and bear a few hours out. if you must have food bring some chips and buy something to drink in the airport.
if its a long flight there is ALWAYS a kosher option, just plan ahead and tell the airlines.
frankly, no one is going to starve to death and if you can afford to fly you can afford to spend a couple of dollars on a soda and some packaged food from the airport riteaid.
kosher or not we're all in the same boat so grin and bear it, or drive.

(26)
Esther,
June 19, 2008 11:46 AM

The saddest confiscation I ever saw

The saddest confiscation I ever saw was an elderly Indian lady travelling with an enormous tupperware container (think trunk size) of hand-made Indian sweets.

Being an enthusiastic cook, I happen to know that Indian candies are incredibly time-consuming to make, often requiring hours of stirring thick, syrupy batters.

The customs agents took away the woman's entire trunk! I was honestly worried that the grandma was going to have a heart attack - it was very sad. I guess the lesson is to check bags or mail things ahead of time!

(25)
Zamira,
June 19, 2008 11:28 AM

To Feigele: How do we eat if we don't bring food?

Dear Feigele: If we're travelling for 3 hours & waiting at the airport for 2 hours (that = 5 hours)should we not be able to eat if we keep kosher? Should we be forced to buy ice cream at the airport & water & that's it. Thanks alot! What they are doing makes very little sense to most of us. I'd rather go thru security with Elal thank you.

(24)
Anonymous,
June 19, 2008 2:51 AM

Your fans in Bnai Brak - We want more!

If we don`t develop the ability to laugh, when we fly, we will take a nosedive...

(23)
Leslee,
June 18, 2008 9:00 PM

dangerous yogurt

On my most recent airplane trip I had an 8-oz. container of this excellent Greek-style fig yogurt (kosher) which was to be my meal while waiting to board or after. The TSA employee surveyed it and then announced I could not take it in. BUT I was allowed to return to the unsecure part of the terminal -- escorted by the TSA agent who held the yogurt aloft for all to see -- and consume the yogurt before going back through security again.
As sarah said, I was glad I allowed some extra time. And I was very aware in Israel for Sukkot 2007 of the need to not be in a hurry as we were checked and inspected and confirmed "safe". Baruch HaShem!

(22)
Gilberto,
June 18, 2008 11:40 AM

Same experience at the same airport 2002

Traveling from Central America to the U.S.A. used to be a very nice experience but for us latinos is is no longer the happiest event anymore.I carried my cameras (I am an Architect)and my tools for skectching (the assentials). These items according to the new way of thinking ,are dangerus,third world country weapons that must be destroyed.Travelling today is not fun any more.

(21)
Leo,
June 18, 2008 8:07 AM

Confiscated Montreal Smoke Meat Sandwich

Hey Judy,
Maybe you can laugh at all this. Lets be serious, they didn't confiscate your delicious kosher Montreal smoke meat sandwich that you were aching to eat after a long day working in the Montreal perma frost.

(20)
sarah,
June 18, 2008 1:32 AM

living

While this is a funny article and appreciated for that, I have to tell you that I live in Israel and having to go through checking is a daily occurrence. When I go to the mall, when I go to the bus station, when I go to a restaurant or large store, I have to go through having all my bags and purse checked. At first when all this started I thought why is it that I have to be checked?. After all I am a religious Jewish lady. Do I look like someone who would put a bomb in my handbag? Then a couple terrorists were caught wearing kepot and an arab lady was caught wearing an explosive belt in an ambulance. Thank God they checked her or who knows where that belt might have wound up or how many jewish lives it would have cost. After that I no longer baulk at being checked. I have nothing to hide. I just costs me a little time. So I add more time to my trips. I would rather be checked, knowing that they are checking everyone, and live. Living is important to me.

(19)
Manasseh,
June 17, 2008 8:21 PM

The Odour Of The Day

Thanks for laughter
Last month @ atlanta airport we had an encounter of the odourus when someone removed the shoes at security and everyone reached for their noses
I personally wondered if it was a secret weapon the TSA whipped out their spray cans and everyone duked as the fine mist descended on us all...lol

(18)
patti Jenkins,
June 17, 2008 7:41 PM

i knew there was something about those guys i did not like

well I know that stuff about the feet and fear of flesh eating virus under your feet feeling and I even once was wearing nylons Yuck boy did I soak my feet that night! But the stuff you nosh! I think its a conspiracy>They are studying are kosher nourashment to see where it fits in with the food pyramid and the nutritional benefits of better living through eating our goodies and testing humus on a low cholesterol diet! Maybe you have given help to the hopeless//who knows//haha// but I never did like the looks of those guys!

(17)
Rivka,
June 17, 2008 7:27 PM

Arousing suspicions

Please just tell me you were packing hummus, not humus! (The latter is substance from a partially decayed plant or animal.)

(16)
Ellen,
June 17, 2008 12:22 PM

thanks for the laugh!

Very funny-- we really need to keep humor in our lives. The negative comments show a lack of a sense of humor. Thanks for the laugh this morning!

(15)
Anonymous,
June 17, 2008 12:17 PM

Thanks for the laugh!

This article really brought a smile to my face - thanks! My own funniest memory, okay, I have 2: First, before the world got this crazy, my friend in the U.S. asked me to bring her Tai Chi sword that she left in our shared apartment in Jerusalem. So I brought it, traveled all the way from the Holy City to the American midwest carrying a 4-foot wooden sword. No one said a word.
My other funny memory is when, as a married lady, I was wearing a scarf to cover my hair. That female security gal in Chicago stuck her hand inside my scarf and felt around for a long minute. I don't know what she thought she might find in there, but it was a nice head massage after all those hours of traveling. What a world we live in, huh?

(14)
Anonymous,
June 17, 2008 12:09 PM

Profiling of Airline Passengers

It's not Southern Baptist basketball fans, Catholic surgeons, or Jewish shoe salesmen who have been trying to blow up planes. The only sub-group doing so has been Islamic. THEY are the folks who should be strictly scrutinized. If more sanity and reason prevailed, there would be no need to confiscate your sealed yogurt cup and toothpaste. As a matter of Constitutional law, such folks deprived are entitled to "just compensation" from Uncle Sam for such "takings." Tuesday, 6/17/08 common era

(13)
Anonymous,
June 17, 2008 11:53 AM

So much more

Not only can we take nothing on board, but we also can no longer bring other luggage (without paying a fee, of course). As you wrote, flying was an experience, and they had all sorts of bonuses to get you to fly their airline. Now I think the airlines are outdoing each other to get everyone NOT to fly them. (OOH! Airline A requires $15 for 1st piece of checked luggage- I'll surely go with them. No wait! Airline B has now raised its prices, hmm. I'm in a quandry, which one shall I use? DECISIONS, DECISIONS.) If they don't want us to fly anymore, why don't they just tell us?!

About the Kosher food... I too had a delicious yogurt (which of course was my main course for the next who knows how many hour wait ahead due to the inevitable and infinite delays ahead) rudely confiscated. Well, I should be honest. Security told me (as I suspected) that I could not bring my yogurt past security. So I picked it up and walked over to the garbage can to throw it out (so at least I could explode the entrance to the airport...). The lady stopped me and said I didn't need to throw it out, I could leave it on her desk. How nice. I was THIS CLOSE to offering her my spoon.

(12)
Leon,
June 17, 2008 10:32 AM

Kosher food in airports

After reading this story, I imagine that some airports could have Kosher food already packed and sealed in one of the many stands after the inspection station. In these days there are many people who only eat Kosher food.

(11)
bob,
June 17, 2008 9:58 AM

What happened to the breadknife

Before we got married my fiance and I both enjoyed picnics. After one such excursion she accused me of losing her precious breadknife. I had no idea where it disappeared to.
After the wedding we flew from London to North Carolina for our honeymoon. I was thoroughly searched, my miniature overnight toiletries were confiscated, my phone was checked for explosives. I was obviously a prime suspect as evident from the intense questions. She stood demurely to one side watching the whole affair, having swept through without incident.
The first night in our hotel my wife was fishing around in the outside zip pocket of her cabin bag when amidst hysterical laughter she pulls out a 12 inch breadknife. Neither London nor Charlotte security men or x-ray had spotted such an obvious and offending item.
There is no justice!

(10)
chava,
June 17, 2008 9:04 AM

dismantle the security

I think it's only "fair" for the security at 30 airports in the USA to be dismantled. How many people have blown up planes in, say, DesMoines? Just as the USA insists that Israel dismantle checkpoints on their roads because they're disturbing and/or "humiliating" to the arabs (Do they think the Jews enjoy the waiting time?) so the security at the airports are disturbing to us all. Let's dismantle them. And why don't we have to go through such security to board trains or buses? I don't find this subject amusing at all.

(9)
Karen,
June 17, 2008 8:47 AM

Got to keep my cole slaw

Being a kosher vegetarian has proven to be a double edged sword as fewer and fewer choiced are available to travelers. Since I am no longer permitted to bring water or juice into the airport, I have resorted to liquid laden dishes for lunch. Most airlines allow you to bring a bagged lunch on board with you. I have been stopped for everything from applesauce to cole slaw, which they did allow me to keep after opening and smelling it. Things that I have gotten through in my luggage... well, an ice scraper with a 4 inch metal blade, a shower head on a hose, and an 8 inch piece of rod iron metal with hooks on either end (part of a wine rack.) They missed those entirely when they xrayed my bag. Perhaps they were too hungry after smelling the cole slaw!

(8)
Feigele,
June 17, 2008 8:34 AM

It's all about Terrorism

Although a funny story well worded and written, I still think that in face of the terrorism, people should comply with safety regulations without aruguing with each little details and be ultra happy that the gorvernment is acting upon. Do not categorize all jewish people with food! please a certain decency calls for when travelling with other people. Come on, hummus, tuna fish, applesauce and all the jelly/jello in your bags, stay home if you cant live without it for a day or two. Of course, when they check my bags, I'm thinking, do I look like a terrorist? I'm a 66 years old jewish lady, but I don't feel threaten or prejudiced against when they do. I'm just happy that they do, even me.
Next time you take a plane, please leave all your food at home. Do not give those people such a hard and wasted time, it will benefit everyone else. Thank you.

(7)
Anonymous,
June 17, 2008 7:22 AM

zip lock security

I had a really nice security guy who found my sealed strawberry applesauce. He gave me a zip lock bag to put it in. How nice. If I wanted to concoct a bomb, all I had to do was open the baggie and voila, there's my deadly applesauce. Now if someone else wanted to steal it and concoct a bomb (I can just see it, my applesauce, plus his mayonnaise and her shampoo, kaboom!) the baggie will be a real deterrent. I don't get it.

(6)
Anonymous,
June 17, 2008 7:01 AM

Very funny!

Thank you so much for helping my day start with a chuckle! I'd love to have you write something about the new baggage requirements/fees as well as how high the airfares are - that way I could at least laugh at a horrible situation!

(5)
Rivkah,
June 17, 2008 7:00 AM

You can Thank Osama Ben Laden and

the islamic terrorists for today's travel conditions. I remeber in 1970's when there was no security at all and your famiy members could go to the gate with you and sit with you until boarding. Until the advent of Islamic maniacs started life was sacred and we could live in relative peace.

(4)
Yael,
June 17, 2008 6:21 AM

they took our macaroni and cheese - and left our bubbles

last time in jfk, after a long hungry day packing, they confiscated our macaroni and cheese and closed can of seltzer and completely ignored the water, bubbles, and childrens tylenol in our bags.

(3)
marian newman,
June 16, 2008 11:06 PM

Things taken from checked luggage

I had the misfortune of having my bras taken from my luggage which had been checked in on my outbound flight. Coming home, a nightgown was missing. There was a note inside the luggage from the security team informing me that my luggage was thoroughly checked. I called to complain about the missing items and was told I would receive forms to fill out. I called a few more times no forms or anything. I can imagine about the food. A friend of mine who is a vegetarian and a diabetic had his yogurt (sealed) taken away. By the way what could a terrorist do with bras in checked in luggage? Maybe the underwires are dangerous,what about the nightgown?

(2)
Shirley Perluss,
June 16, 2008 5:08 PM

You made me LOL

Your comment about being mistaken for an islamic terrorist finally did it. I LedOL You are very funny

I'm told that it's a mitzvah to become intoxicated on Purim. This puzzles me, because to my understanding, it is not considered a good thing to become intoxicated, period.

One of the characteristics of the at-risk youth is their use of drugs, including alcohol. In my experience, getting drunk doesn't reveal secrets. It makes people act stupid and irresponsible, doing things they would never do if they were sober. Also, I know a lot about the horrible health effects of abusing alcohol, because I work at a research center that focuses on addiction and substance abuse.

Also, I am an alcoholic, which means that if I drink, very bad things happen. I have not had a drink in 22 years, and I have no intention of starting now. Surely there must be instances where a person is excused from the obligation to drink. I don't see how Judaism could ever promote the idea of getting drunk. It just doesn't seem right.

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Putting aside for a moment all the spiritual and philosophical reasons for getting drunk on Purim, this remains an issue of common sense. Of course, teenagers should be warned of the dangers of acute alcohol ingestion. Of course, nobody should drink and drive. Of course, nobody should become so drunk to the point of negligence in performing mitzvot. And of course, a recovering alcoholic should not partake of alcohol on Purim.

Indeed, the Code of Jewish Law explicitly says that if one suspects the drinking may affect him negatively, then he should NOT drink.

Getting drunk on Purim is actually one of the most difficult mitzvot to do correctly. A person should only drink if it will lead to positive spiritual results - e.g. under the loosening affect of the alcohol, greater awareness will surface of the love for God and Torah found deep in the heart. (Perhaps if we were on a higher spiritual level, we wouldn't need to get drunk!)

Yet the Talmud still speaks of an obligation on Purim of "not knowing the difference between Blessed is Mordechai and Cursed is Haman." How then should a person who doesn't drink get the point of “not knowing”? Simple - just go to sleep! (Rama - OC 695:2)

All this applies to individuals. But the question remains - does drinking on Purim adversely affect the collective social health of the Jewish community?

The aversion to alcoholism is engrained into Jewish consciousness from a number of Biblical and Talmudic sources. There are the rebuking words of prophets - Isaiah 28:1, Hosea 3:1 with Rashi, and Amos 6:6, and the Zohar says that "The wicked stray after wine" (Midrash Ne'alam Parshat Vayera).

It is well known that the rate of alcoholism among Jews has historically been very low. Numerous medical, psychological and sociological studies have confirmed this. The connection between Judaism and sobriety is so evident, that the following conversation is reported by Lawrence Kelemen in "Permission to Receive":

When Dr. Mark Keller, editor of the Quarterly Journal of Studies on Alcohol, commented that "practically all Jews do drink, and yet all the world knows that Jews hardly ever become alcoholics," his colleague, Dr. Howard Haggard, director of Yale's Laboratory of Applied Physiology, jokingly proposed converting alcoholics to the Jewish religion in order to immerse them in a culture with healthy attitudes toward drinking!

Perhaps we could suggest that it is precisely because of the use of alcohol in traditional ceremonies (Kiddush, Bris, Purim, etc.), that Jews experience such low rates of alcoholism. This ceremonial usage may actually act like an inoculation - i.e. injecting a safe amount that keeps the disease away.

Of course, as we said earlier, all this needs to be monitored with good common sense. Yet in my personal experience - having been in the company of Torah scholars who were totally drunk on Purim - they acted with extreme gentleness and joy. Amid the Jewish songs and beautiful words of Torah, every year the event is, for me, very special.

Adar 12 marks the dedication of Herod's renovations on the second Holy Temple in Jerusalem in 11 BCE. Herod was king of Judea in the first century BCE who constructed grand projects like the fortresses at Masada and Herodium, the city of Caesarea, and fortifications around the old city of Jerusalem. The most ambitious of Herod's projects was the re-building of the Temple, which was in disrepair after standing over 300 years. Herod's renovations included a huge man-made platform that remains today the largest man-made platform in the world. It took 10,000 men 10 years just to build the retaining walls around the Temple Mount; the Western Wall that we know today is part of that retaining wall. The Temple itself was a phenomenal site, covered in gold and marble. As the Talmud says, "He who has not seen Herod's building, has never in his life seen a truly grand building."

Some people gauge the value of themselves by what they own. But in reality, the entire concept of ownership of possessions is based on an illusion. When you obtain a material object, it does not become part of you. Ownership is merely your right to use specific objects whenever you wish.

How unfortunate is the person who has an ambition to cleave to something impossible to cleave to! Such a person will not obtain what he desires and will experience suffering.

Fortunate is the person whose ambition it is to acquire personal growth that is independent of external factors. Such a person will lead a happy and rewarding life.

With exercising patience you could have saved yourself 400 zuzim (Berachos 20a).

This Talmudic proverb arose from a case where someone was fined 400 zuzim because he acted in undue haste and insulted some one.

I was once pulling into a parking lot. Since I was a bit late for an important appointment, I was terribly annoyed that the lead car in the procession was creeping at a snail's pace. The driver immediately in front of me was showing his impatience by sounding his horn. In my aggravation, I wanted to join him, but I saw no real purpose in adding to the cacophony.

When the lead driver finally pulled into a parking space, I saw a wheelchair symbol on his rear license plate. He was handicapped and was obviously in need of the nearest parking space. I felt bad that I had harbored such hostile feelings about him, but was gratified that I had not sounded my horn, because then I would really have felt guilty for my lack of consideration.

This incident has helped me to delay my reactions to other frustrating situations until I have more time to evaluate all the circumstances. My motives do not stem from lofty principles, but from my desire to avoid having to feel guilt and remorse for having been foolish or inconsiderate.

Today I shall...

try to withhold impulsive reaction, bearing in mind that a hasty act performed without full knowledge of all the circumstances may cause me much distress.

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